Cubs Notes: Hoerner, Third Base, Bellinger, Steele

The Cubs made a large splash on the commerce market yesterday once they landed star outfielder Kyle Tucker is a blockbuster deal with the Astros. The membership surrendered a hefty package deal of All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes, 2024 first-rounder Cam Smith, and right-handed teen Hayden Wesneski in an effort to make the deal, nonetheless, and the lack of Paredes specifically could have modified a number of the membership’s offseason plans.

Second baseman Nico Hoerner has reportedly been obtainable in commerce talks this winter, with the Mariners specifically being stated to have curiosity within the infielder. In keeping with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, nonetheless, it’s doable that the membership’s considering involving Hoerner has modified within the aftermath of yesterday’s cope with the Astros. Rosenthal notes that the Cubs have been motivated to commerce from their infield combine in an effort to open up enjoying time for prime prospect Matt Shaw, who hit a sensational .298/.395/.534 in a late-season cup of espresso on the Triple-A stage and seems able to make the soar to the key leagues.

Shaw was drafted as a shortstop, however is a bat-first prospect who has hung out at each second and third base within the minors since being chosen with the Thirteenth-overall decide within the 2023 draft. Whereas Shaw has usually been thought of a extra pure match at second than third attributable to questions on his arm energy, the teen logged 580 1/3 innings on the sizzling nook within the minors this previous 12 months and appears to be a pure alternative to interchange Paredes in Chicago’s infield combine subsequent 12 months. That, in response to Rosenthal, leaves the Cubs “seemingly” to maintain Hoerner within the fold headed into subsequent season.

It’s a minimum of doable one other addition adjustments these plans, as USA At the moment’s Bob Nightengale reported earlier at present that the membership is out there for third base assist following yesterday’s deal. It’s unclear if such an addition can be a part-time participant who may supply insurance coverage in case Shaw proves to not be fairly prepared for the majors or if the Cubs are pursuing extra of a daily possibility on the sizzling nook, however it could appear seemingly at this level that the Cubs could solely critically entertain a Hoerner commerce going ahead in the event that they’re in a position to land a daily third baseman, thereby permitting them to interchange Hoerner with Shaw on the keystone.

Whereas Hoerner could also be staying put in Chicago, the identical can’t be stated for Cody Bellinger. The 2019 NL MVP has been recognized to be on the commerce block all winter as a result of outfield logjam the Cubs skilled late within the 2024 season, when Bellinger was vying with Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Mike Tauchman, and prime prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong for normal enjoying time. That logjam already led the Cubs to non-tender Tauchman, and the introduction of Tucker because the surefire on a regular basis starter in proper subject solely additional emphasised that Bellinger figures to play in one other uniform subsequent 12 months.

The Yankees seem like maybe probably the most aggressive suitor for Bellinger this winter, although experiences have beforehand indicated that the perimeters stay aside on how a lot of Bellinger’s contract the Cubs ought to retain. Peter Botte of the New York Put up supplied further particulars concerning the scenario yesterday, reporting that the perimeters are “greater than $10MM” aside of their negotiations. That’s a hefty hole the perimeters might want to bridge in an effort to come collectively on a deal, because it represents greater than a 3rd of Bellinger’s $27.5MM wage for the 2025 season. Liberating up cash in an effort to enhance different areas of the roster appears to be one of many major motivators for the Cubs in buying and selling Bellinger. In keeping with RosterResource, the membership’s luxurious tax payroll sits at slightly below $215MM after the Tucker deal, and clearing as a lot of Bellinger’s $26.67MM common annual worth off the books as doable would significantly improve Chicago’s monetary flexibility as they appear into bettering their rotation by dealing for a starter like Mariners righty Luis Castillo or Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo.

Talking of the rotation, Patrick Mooney and Tim Britton of The Athletic lately took a have a look at the potential for an extension between the Cubs and left-hander Justin Steele. The pair report that Steele and the Cubs haven’t engaged in extension talks thus far, although they word that the Cubs incessantly use the beginning of Spring Coaching as a possibility to discover extensions with gamers as they’ve performed with Hoerner and Happ up to now earlier than in the end getting offers performed nearer to Opening Day.

The 29-year-old lefty is actually an intriguing extension candidate. Steele is below staff management for 3 extra seasons and doesn’t sport high-end velocity or huge strikeout charges. With that stated, his outcomes have been undeniably glorious in three seasons since he joined the rotation on a full-time foundation. In 427 innings of labor throughout 78 begins over the previous three years, Metal has posted a 3.10 ERA (134 ERA+) with a virtually matching 3.14 FIP. He generates grounders at a powerful 48.5% clip and has restricted walks to only a 5.7% charge over the previous two seasons after struggling considerably together with his management in 2022. Amongst starters with a minimum of 300 innings over the previous two years, solely Gerrit Cole has allowed a decrease ERA than Steele’s 3.07, whereas his 3.11 FIP ranks third behind Sonny Grey and Logan Webb.